Geo: 40.6344, 14.602620 MayToday we headed off in the car for Amalfi. Interesting drive. The first challenge was to reverse the wagon out of the parking lot into the narrow alley. Took a bit of maneuvering but G did it. So off to Amalfi, the next village down the road. Scary drive! The buses are the problem again. We can't fit on the road with them. Thankfully we don't have any bingles, it's a beautiful day and we find a large parking garage. Amalfi is nice but somewhat tacky and full of tourists. Souvenir shops get a bit boring. I did buy a great canvas with a Vespa in it, oh and a pair of shoes, so a successful day. Had a fantastic lunch, gelato and then drove back home late afternoon. We are staying at ... read more

Geo: 42.7165, 12.1116What a fantastic day today. This morning we attended at cooking school. Just the four of us with Lorenzo and Jake at Zeppelin Ristorante in Orvieto. 9.00am start with lattes and pastries. The restaurant is award winning and we are cooking today with the restaurant chefs surrounding us, cooking for the guests. Although Lorenzo (Chef) and Jake (Medic - he's a nurse) are all ours for four hours. We learn to make pizza dough (a huge quantity) and make five different slabs. We make pasta from scratch and then prepare with a scrumptious pork and asparagus sauce. Next is a pork stew which is divine. Also a caponata (like a ratatouille - tomato, eggplant, capsicum). Finally a huge tray of tiramisu that Sue slaves over for ages, piping rosettes on top to complete. We ... read more

Geo: 43.2741, 11.9878Another hilltop town today however Cortona is the town where large chunks of Under the Tuscan Sun were filmed. I was sort of hoping my trip would have worked out like that story, but no. We had a nice day wandering around, enjoyed another great lunch and found the roads a breeze as G is nos becoming more "italianesque" with her driving style.Arrived home to find a snake sunning itself on the front path at the house. Only about two feet long but the girls didn't hang around outside for long! It was too fast to get a photo.... read more

Geo: 42.9898, 12.6719Now Sue's boss has a business associate we decided to visit in Spello. It's a small village, however we didn't see much off it. We asked the first shop if they knew where to find Roberto at the Enoteco something or other. Of course they knew him and pointed the way. Roberto is the proprietor of Enoteca Properzio. It is like a fine bottle shop also providing fine foods. We met Roberto and then the fun began. We were warmly welcomed by he and his brother,Carlo. Did we want lunch? We had just eaten and just wanted to say hello. We were encouraged to sit down and Roberto appears with a "very important" bottle of 1995 Assisi Rossi he wants us to drink. So we do. The waitresses scurry around and prepare two platters ... read more

Geo: 42.7453, 12.7384We get to Spoleto to find many streets closed. They are running the equivalent of a bob-sled race down the cobble stone streets. Everyone is out to watch.We enjoy wandering around the town, viewing the race from different points. The competitors are all very serious in their Lycra, even if we think they look ridiculous and the event is crazy. We get back to Lugascello early evening after G has travelled some very narrow winding roads. She is doing a great job and hasn't driven on the wrong side of the road today.... read more